In a noisy world where it feels like everyone wants you to spend your money, today I'd just like to tell you how to save more of it. Here are 11 ways to save money, that have actually made a tangible difference in our budget.There's plenty of money-saving advice on the internet, but it doesn't always come from people's actual experiences. It's often hypothetical, trite, and doesn't speak to the circumstances of the people who actually need the ideas. For instance, I'm tired of reading the advice to "skip that fancy Starbucks latte you buy everyday!" I only buy a latte a few times per year, not per week!Telling people to skip the ... Continue Reading
2017 Highlight Reel, Blog Reflections, and Reader Survey!
Each year, I take a few moments to share a personal update, highlight the top blog posts from the previous year, and share the new Reader Survey! Here's the 2017 edition!This week I hung up a new calendar on my refrigerator; now I'll have adorable piglets to look at all year. The next day I slipped away to Starbucks for my annual session of reflection and eggnog latte sipping.So it's official.The new year has begun!Our family had another fun but quiet year in 2017. We continued to slowly furnish our house and enjoyed the blessing of family close by. We got the treat of taking a trip to my hometown of Savannah--it was my first ... Continue Reading
A Sample Homemaking Routine That Will Make Your Days Simpler and More Productive
A homemaking routine is your best friend when it comes to home management. Here's a sample homemaking routine built around theme days, plus how to implement it using your daily planner. This post is sponsored by Homemaker's Depot, my favourite planner company!Do you wish you could make better use of your time?Do you wish you had a better handle on all the homemaking tasks you need to do, and that you didn't fall so far behind?A few years of homemaking and "adulting" quickly taught me that there's so much more to managing a home than cooking and cleaning! You also have to schedule family activities, run frequent errands, supervise ... Continue Reading
Simple Living in a Travel Trailer…with 8 Kids!
You can practice simple, intentional living anywhere--even in a travel trailer with 9 other people! Read this interview with Christy Bagasao, homeschooling mom of 8, about her simple living journey.With the modern-day tiny house movement, stories of people living out of RVs or other minuscule spaces aren't that rare any more. But imagine you lived in an RV with nine other people, and a cat, year round, full time. This is life for Christy Bagasao of The Travel Bags, and if you ask her, it's a very good life!The Bagasao family sold their home and took their Christian music mission on the road full time in 2012. They've been nomading ... Continue Reading
Afternoon Energy Booster Tea: A Natural Way to Beat the Afternoon Slump
Boost your energy in the afternoon with this natural energy booster tea. Because it is possible to beat the afternoon slump--without resorting to store-bought energy drinks or another cup of coffee!When you get sleepy at 9 pm, you expect it. You've put in a full day of working and homemaking and caring for your people. The only thing left to do is relax and then segue into your evening routine and finally your bed.But when you're already drowsy and it's only 2 pm? That's frustrating! There's still plenty of work waiting to be done...and you probably can't drop it all and zone out with a book for two hours. (Nice as that would ... Continue Reading
A One-Week Fall Meal Plan for People Who Adore Fall Flavours
Savor autumn flavors with this hearty, seasonal fall meal plan! You'll find ideas for easy fall breakfasts, lunches, and suppers--all cooked from scratch with clean ingredients!The weather is changing, and with it, our daily fare.My husband got an extra hug when he brought home a spaghetti squash the other day."They're here!!" I exclaimed, reflecting with absolutely zero regret on how I elated I get with the advent of winter squash. "Oh, the things we'll make!" and my mind danced with visions of butternuts and acorns.I love fall food. It's rich, and comforting, and festive. And, especially in the case of squash, it's gorgeous ... Continue Reading
How to Radically Simplify Your Approach to Healthy Living
Healthy living doesn't have to be complicated. Simplify your approach to health by building a strong foundation you can actually maintain. Here's how.It's unfortunate but true: when we overcomplicate the good things we end up simply not doing them.That happened to me recently with healthy living. I knew I wanted to prioritize my family's health more and make some improvements, but I stalled out with too many irons in the fire. I realised that I need to get back to the basics first; make sure my foundation is solid and simple before building on it.So what's my foundation for healthy living? For us, and probably for many, our ... Continue Reading
29 Habits, Recipes, and Things That Simplify My Life
It's that time of year again: birthday time.Actually, since I have been on birthday time I'm a little late in posting this! I began the 29th year of my life on September 1st. Only 12 months until 30. Can you imagine/remember? Sometimes I can hardly believe I'm not 15 any more--I just blinked and here I am with a husband and a little boy full of joy and a prowling cat.What pretty much sums up how I feel about life right now is this quote from my beloved Anne of Green Gables: “'Dear old world', she murmured, 'you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.'”Life is fast, but it's beautiful.As is my custom, I'm sharing ... Continue Reading
How to Use Your Influence to Help Your Family Flourish
Want to have a thriving family? Here's how you can use your influence as a homemaker to help your family flourish and live intentionally.Intentional living should begin within us, and then it should keep on going.We can make a million choices to live more intentionally, but if they're all aimed solely at making our own lives more beautiful then we're actually missing the beauty of intentional living, aren't we? Live intentionally not just to flourish yourself, but to help others flourish, too.Start with your own family.As homemakers, we have tremendous power over both the atmosphere in our home and over the people who live ... Continue Reading
20 Ways to Use a Silicone Stasher Bag
I finally found a good alternative for plastic storage bags! Here's my review of Stasher's silicone storage bags, plus 20 different ways to use them. This post is sponsored by MightyNest. I love recommending them!A new tool has found a spot in my kitchen, and it's one I've been looking for ever since I began managing my own home.I dove into natural living shortly before I got married six years ago. Reducing waste and finding reusable household goods was one of my first pursuits. We bought glass drinking straws and replaced most of our paper towels with microfiber cloths and Swedish dishcloths. We used cloth napkins, glass water ... Continue Reading
